Reed



Patented May 4, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in reeds, and more particularly to reeds especially suitable for saxophones although, by making the same slightly narrower, the reed can be used on a clarinet, or by making it slightly wider it can be used on a tenor saxophone or a baritone saxophone.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and practical reed having better tone qualities as well as one which will be more durable in use and cheaper to manufacture.

A further object is to provide an improved reed which will not warp or crack, thereby avoiding objections to the common bamboo reed.

A further object is to provide an improved reed which may be easily molded, finished and regulated to size and tone.

A further object is to provide for easy and quick removal of the reed from the mouthpiece for sterilization of the reed as well as accurate re-positioning upon the mouthpiece.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawing and in part hereinafter indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of this invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the various steps and the relation of each to the other, all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art fully to comprehend the underlying features of this invention that they may practice the same in various ways, a drawing depicting a preferred form of apparatus suitable therefor has been annexed as part of this disclosure and in such drawing like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the views, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ordinary standard mouthpiece, such as used on saxophones, with the improved reed positioned thereon;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the reed alone; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Referring now to the drawing in detail and more particularly to Fig. l, 5 indicates the body of a mouthpiece having an opening at 6 where the mouthpiece is connected with the instrument. The opposite end of the mouthpiece tapers upwardly as indicated at I, and the top surface slopes slightly downwardly as indicated at 8 to provide a space for the vibrations of the reed.

As herein shown, the construction is provided with two clamping rings I0 and II going around the mouthpiece and provided with clamping screws I! which hold the reed l3 (Fig. 2) in fixed position upon the mouthpiece. The body portion of this reed I3 is narrower and slightly tapered towards the butt and has a convex upper surface which is corrugated as indicated at H thereby to reduce or prevent relative slippage between the reed and the clamping bands Ill and l I. The extreme inner end of the reed is turned upwardly as at l5 and this upturned end preferably abuts the ring 10 whereby the same may be accurately positioned with respect to the mouthpiece openin and is also unlikely to slip relatively longitudinally after positioning. It is preferable to provide a small opening IS in this upturned end whereby the reed when removed from the mouthpiece may be suspended as by means of a wire or string in a sterilizing solution. It is quite important that the vibrating edge of the reed be kept out of contact with any hard surface such as the bottom of the container.

The vibrating end of the reed is a relatively broad, flat portion, indicated at IT, provided with a longitudinal web l8 extending substantially the length of the vibrating member. The final edge 20, however, is very thin and flexible, thereby to produce the necessary vibrations as one blows into the instrument.

The reed as above stated may come in several sizes, but when used with the usual small wind instrument such as a saxophone the base is approximately three-sixteenths of an inch thick and about five-eighths of an inch in width, the total length being approximately three inches for an E-flat reed. By making the vibrating part of the reed very slightly narrower at the edges, one of which is indicated at ll, the device may be used for clarinets. It should, however, be slightly wider for use on tenor saxophones.

There is preferably provided between the body portion l3 and the flexible part I! a relatively narrow groove 2| which if out deeper reduces the volume if the reed should prove too loud. Accordingly, by using an ordinary small file this groove may be deepened thereby to vary the vol ume, making the reed more flexible and softer. A softer reed, as is well known to those familiar with the subject, requires less wind on the part of the player to operate the same. The slightly elevated web is also subject to reduction in thickness when further adjustment and greater flexibility is desired.

It will be noted particularly that the entire reed is preferably made of a plastic-like material having the characteristics of hard rubber inasmuch as such material is very easy to mold and shape and is subject to filing or cutting to obtain fine adjustments and regulation in both tone and volume.

The operation of the present device is of course obvious to those familiar with the subject. The entire structure is simple, durable, inexpensive and easy to modify as and when necessary according to the use to which it is put. In short, the invention is well adapted to accomplish among others, all of the objects and advantages herein set forth.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that from the standpoint of the prior art fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of the invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claim.

I claim:

A plastic reed for wind instruments of the single reed type comprising an elongated body part having one side flat and the other substantially convex, one end portion having a corrugated top surface with an upturned extremity, a tapered thin vibrating part at the other end adapted to cover the mouthpiece opening, a volume regulating transverse groove at the juncture of said parts, and a longitudinal web extending substantially the length of said vibrating part.

JASPER C. NEMCEK. JR 

